AQS Hampshire East

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. A relative told us, “Has their favourite staff. Laughs and jokes with them. Trusts them and likes their visits. Treated with dignity and privacy respected.” Comments from people included, “Everyone is courteous and kind”, “They seem very good and friendly”, “They are very good and patient” and “They are caring and gentle.”

The provider treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. People’s cultural, religious and spiritual needs were assessed and recorded in their care plans. The manager confirmed adjustments to care were made to ensure people’s preferences were met. These adjustments included, changing care call times and meeting people’s preferences around staff. Staff and people could describe how staff considered people’s wishes and preferences when providing care. A relative told us, “It’s by making it more personal for my (relative) It makes (relative) feel like it’s not just a job. (Relative) really likes it. Feels like they’re a friend.”

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff gave us examples of how they promoted people’s independence. Staff recognised the importance of people maintaining daily living skills where possible.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. People’s care plans detailed where they had specific medical conditions and how these presented in everyday life. Staff had a good knowledge of recognising when people’s needs were changing and the appropriate action they needed to take in response. A relative told us, “If unwell staff respond quickly. Staff let me know and if hospital is needed staff ring me.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Staff felt supported in their role and they could contact the office, who operated an open-door policy, if they had any concerns. There was a culture of staff safety. Policies were in place in relation to lone working and monitoring stress in the workplace and there was a robust on call system in place to support staff out of office hours. A relative told us, “Staff seem happy to work for the company.”